1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a protection device for a harvesting machine having a housing to accept the foreign objects. The housing is provided with a door. The housing includes side and longitudinal walls and an outlet opening, which can be opened or closed by the door.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Foreign object protection devices, sometimes referred to as stone traps, are usually found in the transition region between the feeder house and the threshing cylinder of a combine. Their function is to separate stones, metal particles, clumps of earth, etc. from the stream of the crop, so that they do not cause any damage in the combine. The stone trap is emptied at regular intervals, by opening the door, so that the foreign objects may be removed. Not only large pieces collect there, but also sand, crop residues, weeds, etc. so that a compact mass of very diverse materials accumulates in the housing. These materials are consolidated into a single clump due to the vibrations of the harvesting machine and they adhere to the walls of the stone trap. To remove this compacted mass, a tool must be used to break it up, which represents a loss of time and requires strenuous and difficult work, since the stone trap is arranged in a poorly accessible area. In addition, when emptying the stone trap, the operator can splattered with dirt.
A stone trap of the above-described type is disclosed in DE-OS 2 037 659. This stone trap is very difficult to unload since its outlet opening has a cross section that is smaller than that of its housing.